Waller 1200 by Mike Waller Yacht Design

The WALLER 1200 is a full bridge deck cat built in cedar strip/glass composite and plywood. She is an (almost) all plywood version of our 1160 catamaran, with only minor styling changes to accomodate the extensive use of plywood (the 1160 is all strip plank / composite construction).

CONCEPT

The Waller 1200 is intended to be easy to build but at a lower cost than the 1160, and capable of living aboard and ocean voyaging. Because she is intended for extensive live aboard cruising, she has been designed for strength, load carrying ability and internal roominess. She is designed for safe but good performance rather than all out speed, Displacement, at 6.5 Tonne, is medium displacement for a vessel of this size and type.

The design features rounded bilges for the hull undersides, and mini keels for cruising simplicity and lower cost , with inboard diesel sail drive engines for safety, convenience and reliability. Extra care has been taken in the design process to make her look like a moulded boat, even though she is plywood.

RIG

The Waller 1200 comes with a medium tech fully battened sailing rig and alloy mast and boom as standard. The rig is the typical heavy roached, fully battened main and 7/8th rig which time has shown to be the most efficient rig for this type of vessel.

CONSTRUCTION

The Waller 1200 utilises what I like to think of as 'sensible' material choices, using the best material for each application. The rounded hull bottoms are cedar strip and glass composite for strength, to a point just above the waterline, and from there on up is all plywood construction for the hulls, bridgedeck, deck and cabin structures. The internal joinery structures are in honeycomb / glass panels for ease of constructin and light weight, but can be plywood for a small weight penalty. Full use has been made of timber / epoxy construction, with a minimum of timber framing.

ACCOMMODATION

The Waller 1200 accomodations have been optimised for a cruising couple, with a large master cabin featuring a queen size berth, plus a guest cabin, also with a queen size berth. The main living area features a large W.C. area to port, a large and spacious saloon cabin, and a huge and very workeable galley to starboard. Engines are isolated in their own engine rooms aft, with seperate access from the cockpit walk throughs.